


Another Year Older

by xxCat1989xx



Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: Birthday, Fluff, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 23:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11115159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxCat1989xx/pseuds/xxCat1989xx
Summary: It's Scott's birthday and he's alone.





	Another Year Older

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh. Love you all <3
> 
> Not edited, just wanted to post it.

He’s been alone all day. And he Hates it. With a capital H. Underline it, make it bold. Scott is _not_ happy.

It’s his birthday and all he wanted to do was spend the day with his best friend, laughing and joking and living. But when he woke up that morning and saw Mitch’s empty room, found the note on the kitchen side - ‘ _Gone shopping. Back later_ ’ - Scott felt like climbing back into bed and fast forwarding through the day.

Which is exactly what he’s done. He’s been binge-watching Netflix and dozing, and he just feels so _sad_.

Normally he’d be bouncing off the walls, demanding (nicely!) that Mitch go shopping with him, that everyone he has stored in his contacts - whether a good friend or someone he’s spoken to once, briefly, six months ago - come to a club and party the night away, celebrate the fact that he’s twenty-six and all of his dreams are coming true.

The band is successful, Superfruit is getting bigger and better every single week, and his family and friends are happy and healthy. Honestly, there’s a number of reasons to celebrate, not least of all him, but if he can’t spend it with the one person he loves above everyone else and every _thing_ in his life, what’s the point?

The door to his room swings open suddenly, bouncing off the wall and making him jump, spilling popcorn everywhere. It would be funny, if he wasn’t so _sad_.

“Scott, get your ass out of bed.”

It’s Nicole and she looks like a woman on a mission.

Scott frowns and starts brushing the popcorn back into the bowl. He settles back against the headboard and tilts his chin defiantly. He’s not moving. Nothing, not even an earthquake, could make him move right now. He’s going to finish this bowl, maybe open the bottle of wine in the fridge, and have an early night.

This twenty-six year old is going to go to sleep at - he checks the time on his phone - 8pm.

“No. Come on. Stop pouting. We’re going out.” Nicole comes over to him and takes the bowl out of his hands, smacking at Scott’s hands when he protests and tries to tug it back.

“I don’t want to,” he whines, flopping back against the headboard and crossing his arms across his chest.

“Who are you and what have you done with Scott?” She points a long, blue fingernail at him.

“I just don’t feel like it tonight.”

Nicole brushes the last remnants of popcorn into the bowl before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She’s all done up; makeup and hair and a short, blue dress that matches her nails perfectly. She’s obviously expecting Scott to say yes. Well, she’s in for a surprise tonight.

“What’s wrong babe?”

Scott’s startled by the tears that spring to his eyes in response to how concerned Nicole sounds. He brushes his hands across his cheeks when they spill down his face and takes a deep breath.

“I just,” he starts when he feels like he can talk without a sob breaking free, “I’ve had a really rubbish day.”

Nicole claps her hands, making him flinch. “Well, not anymore. Get in the shower. I’m going to pick you an outfit, and then we’re going out to drink and dance the night away. Maybe find you a cute boy to bring home.” She winks at him.

Scott rolls his eyes. The only cute boy he wants to bring home he already lives with. And that is a ship that sailed a _long_ time ago. That ship has been out at sea for so long that it’s weathered and broken, and Scott has no idea where he’s going with this. He shakes the thought away. Maybe he does need that drink if he’s thinking about ships.

“Okay. But there will be no cute boys being brought anywhere.”

Nicole waves her hand at him. “Whatever. You’re in love with Mitch. I get it.”

He chokes on his next breath, face going red and chest aching.

When he’s stopped feeling like he’s going to cough up a lung, he looks up at Nicole, who’s looking at him with a knowing glint in her eyes. Scott frowns again. “What? In love with Mitch? You’re joking, right?”

He means for it to be rhetorical, but knows he falls far from it when she starts nodding her head earnestly.

“Yes. Mitch. About yay-high.” She holds her hand up to indicate. “Short, brown hair, brown eyes, your best friend.”

“I know who Mitch is.”

“Good. Thought you were getting forgetful in your old age.” Scott scoffs at her - “I’m not _old_ ” before she continues, “And no, I’m not joking. We talk about it a lot.”

“Who’s ‘we’?” Scott replies hysterically.

“Everyone. Me, Kirstie, Lindsey, Esther, Kate. It’s common knowledge in the group.”

Scott sits up and grabs at his hair.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. He doesn’t want to ask, but he really needs to.

“Do you think Mitch knows?”

Nicole nods again, red curls bouncing around her head.

“Oh god. How?” he whines. He flops onto his side and pulls a pillow over his face, screaming into it. It’s ripped from his hands before he’s even finished. He brushes his hair out of his eyes and looks up at the ceiling. His vision focuses in and out as he tries to even out his breathing.

“You’re not exactly subtle.”

“I’m subtle,” he shouts. “I’m the definition of subtle.”

“Scott, you don’t even know what subtle means.”

“I do! Look up the definition. It’ll say ‘Scott Hoying’ underneath it.”

Nicole smacks him with his pillow. He’s offended that his own belongings are being used against him and says as much.

“Stop it. You’re trying to distract me and it’s not working. Get out of bed. It’s your birthday and we’re going to celebrate.”

“Celebrate what? My life being over?”

“Okay, drama queen. You have five seconds to move before I call Mom.”

Scott sits up abruptly. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Nicole levels him with a look. “Try me.”

They stare at each other until Scott throws his arms up in exasperation. “Fine. Don’t call Esther. I’m getting up. Are you happy now?” He flings the covers off his legs and stands up, legs wobbling when he tries to put weight on them. He’s been lying down for far too long.

“Very. Come on. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Nicole stands from his bed and makes a bee-line for his closet. She rifles through the rails, humming to herself as Scott heads for his bathroom.

Scott hopes she can keep that promise.

\--

They’re in an Uber on their way to…wherever Nicole is taking him, when Scott asks, “How long do you think Mitch has known...?”

He doesn’t need to finish that sentence. Just imagining saying it out loud makes him want to jump out the car and find a deserted island to live the rest of his life; no people, no fans, no Mitch. Wait, that actually sounds like a _terrible_ idea.

Nicole looks away from where she’s been tapping at her phone, locking the screen and sliding it into her purse. She turns in his seat towards him.

“A while. I don’t know. I haven’t asked him. It’s not my place.” She wraps her hand around his. “I think you should tell him though. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You mean, apart from needing to find a new place to live?” He can feels the panic welling in his chest. A nervous sweat breaks out on the back of his neck.

Scott rips his hand from hers and starts to list things off with his fingers. “The band would break up. Superfruit wouldn’t exist anymore. Mitch wouldn’t spea-”

Nicole puts her hand over his mouth to shut him up. “Okay. All valid points, except for one thing?” She pauses and wraps her hand around his again. “None of that would happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know Mitch. And I know you. Even if Mitch doesn’t feel the same way, there is no way that Mitch would let that affect your friendship, and neither would you.”

Scott shrugs. He guesses she’s right. His and Mitch’s friendship is too strong, and has been through far too much to fall apart over something like this. Doesn’t mean he’s going to tell Mitch he’s in love with him though.

“I’ll think about it,” he concedes, with a nod.

“That’s all I’m asking.” She pats his arm once before digging her phone back out her purse and tapping away at the screen again.

Five minutes later the car pulls to a stop. Scott looks out the window and freezes. They’ve pulled up next to what looks like an abandoned warehouse. Why has Nicole brought him here? He turns to her and quirks his eyebrow.

“Um. Nicole, are you sure we’re in the right place?”

She finishes tapping at her phone with a flourish and grins at him. “Positive. Come on.”

She opens the door and steps out onto the sidewalk, calling a thanks to the driver and waiting for Scott to follow. When the door is shut, the car pulls away, and then there’s silence.

Scott clears his throat and tries again. “Where are we?”

Nicole’s grin hasn’t left her face, taking on a slightly manic gleam that from anyone else, Scott would be worried he’s about to murdered and his body dumped here. But this is sweet, kind Nicole, who laughs over the smallest thing and cries at the end of every happy movie. Honestly, he’d be more worried if he was here, alone, with Kirstie. Sometimes he thinks she would happily murder him, especially after the last prank he pulled on her at the end of tour.

Scott shudders at the memory of her screams following him down the corridor of the venue.

“Come on, Mr Subtle.”

She takes his hand in hers, linking their fingers, and pulls him towards the door. She knocks once and it opens before her. Standing the other side is…

“Kevin? Hey man. What are you doing here?” Scott engulfs him in a hug, smiling when Kevin hugs him back tightly. Kevin pats him on the back as he pulls away.

“Mitch called. Said there was a party.”

“A- A party?” Scott turns to Nicole. “What party?”

Nicole points him down a corridor. It’s lit with lanterns on the floor; a row either side that leads to dark room at the end. Scott can hear hushed voices at the end and a shiver rolls down his spine.

He takes one small, silent step, then another and another as he walks towards the end, fingers brushing along the wall. The exposed brick is cool against his fingertips, a sharp contrast to the oppressive early, autumn heat that they’ve left outside.

When Scott reaches the end, he stops and takes a deep breath. Here goes _nothing_ , he thinks as he crosses the threshold.

A moment passes.

“Surprise!”

Lights come on all around the room, making Scott squint after the dimly lit corridor behind him. Scott jumps backward when people leap up from where they were hiding, wide smiles on their faces.

“Oh my god!” he exclaims, holding a hand to his chest. His heart is racing and a laugh bubbles up in his throat until he can’t keep it in anymore.

Scott turns back to Nicole with wide eyes. “You knew about this?”

She rolls her eyes at him. “Obviously.”

Scott wraps his arms around her.

“Happy Birthday, Scott,” she says quietly into his ear, hugging him tightly to her chest.

When she pulls away, Scott turns back to the room. Everyone is here. Kirstie and Jeremy, Avi, Esther, Lindsey, Craig. He looks further. Mario and everyone he loves is in this unassuming empty warehouse in downtown LA.

Tears spring to his eyes.

Oh. And he’d thought people didn’t care. But they really do. It’s a lot. He covers his face with his hands, trying to hold back the emotions that are fighting their way to the surface. Nicole rubs a comforting hand on his back.

Schooling his face, Scott pulls his hands away and freezes when he sees Mitch in front of him. He’s looking at him with a smirk on his face, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.

“Mitchy, did you do all this?” Scott asks, taking a step closer.

Mitch nods. “Kinda. Had a bit of help.” He waves a hand towards Nicole. “It was my idea though. You like it?”

His best friend has thrown him a surprise party for his birthday. His best friend, who Scott thought had ignored him all day, has put this together…for _him_. His best friend, who he’s very much in love with, and has been for what feels like a lifetime…

The smile on Mitch’s face drops the longer Scott takes to respond and that will just not do. Not after this. Not ever.

Scott takes another step forward so Mitch has to crane his neck to look up at him.

“Like it? I love it.” Scott reaches a hand out and cups Mitch’s cheek in it. He lowers his voice. “And I love you. So much, Mitchy.”

Mitch blinks up at him, eyes sparkling. The smile comes back. The smile Scott loves. “I love you too. Scott, I love you so much.” Mitch reaches up and puts his arms around Scott’s neck, burying his face in Scott’s shoulder. Scott wraps his arms around Mitch’s waist, holding him against him tightly.

He’s so happy he could float away with the feeling.

In a room, with the person he loves more than anything, surrounded by people who he’s lucky enough to call family, on his birthday, Scott couldn’t be happier.

Nicole did promise he wouldn’t regret it.

**Author's Note:**

> Social media links in bio.


End file.
